


Trying to Be So Cool

by especiallythezefronposter



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Movie Night, POV Outsider, Sleep Deprivation, Sleepiness, Sleepy Cuddles, don't take the summary seriously, i feel so uncomfortable writing something that has no angst in it, there are no badges
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:27:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4953349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/especiallythezefronposter/pseuds/especiallythezefronposter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce earned his Superior Cuddler badge by accident, but he sure as hell deserves it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trying to Be So Cool

The team is halfway through the Two Towers by the time Tony comes down to the common living room. He looks exhausted, eyes red and mouth yawning, but he's going the wrong way, towards the kitchen instead of the couch. If it were anyone else, Steve would assume they just wanted a glass of water before going to bed, but Tony only drinks water when he is absolutely hungover, usually preferring coffee, scotch or even protein shakes and cokes.

'Heading off to bed?', Bruce asks from the other side of the couch he's sharing with Steve. Thor and Natasha both have their own chairs and Clint is has moved from the back of Nat's chair to a pile of pillows on the floor to leaning against her legs to lying upside down in between Steve and Bruce and back to the pile of pillows. Now he turns to lie on his back and stare up at Tony, hands behind his head.

Tony stops, seemingly surprised that he's been noticed. 'I was just getting coffee,' he says. He's soft and slow like this, must have been awake for forty hours at least, maybe even since before their last mission two days ago.

Steve reaches for the remote and pauses the movie. 'You need to sleep, Tony.' He goes for gentle, but he knows Tony won't interpret it that way. He finds it hard to talk to Tony, who likes to pretend everything Steve says is unreasonable, so he adds. 'If we had to assemble now, you'd have to stay put.' He knows it's an asshole thing to say, but it works better than 'for your own good', at least on Tony.

'Or you could watch the movie with us,' Natasha says. She's better at this than Steve is. They all know Tony barely ever goes to his bedroom, even when he says that's where he's headed. If he gets settled on the couch, the chance of him falling asleep is much bigger than if he leaves for the workshop again.

'Nah,' he says, yawning again. 'There's this thing I'm working on.'

He moves towards the kitchen, but Bruce's voice stops him. 'Could I persuade you with some superior cuddles?', he asks, voice warm and joking. He shifts on the couch, making room for Tony. That's the moment Steve realizes he means he's actually up for cuddling. Bruce, who is comfortable enough around most of them to initiate touch, who is very tactile, even, but never touches Tony. He can work with Tony in his space and can stand Tony's hand on his shoulder or even his hip, but never touches him, or, apparently, not when Steve notices, at least.

He expects Tony to laugh or sneer or reject Bruce in some other way, but instead he just huffs and walks right into Bruce's arms, curling up against him on the couch. He falls asleep in seconds, halfway through thanking Bruce.

One of Bruce's hands comes to rest on Tony's back and the other finds his hair. The ease with which he holds Tony and strokes Tony's scalp in a way that makes him sigh in his sleep suggests this isn't anything new to them.

It takes Bruce a moment to notice everyone is looking at him. 'We're not... this doesn't mean much or anything,' he says sheepishly. 'It's just this joke from when we were researching how aware the Other Guy is of my surroundings and we ended up cuddling to see if it would affect him positively. Tony noticed my body temperature is slightly above average and insisted it makes me a superior cuddler. He even made JARVIS call me that instead of 'Doctor' for a while.'

He angles his head towards Tony's a little more, not like he's going to kiss him, or even just rest their heads together, but to be a little closer, like he's listening for breathing. It's almost painful to watch.

Bruce is not comfortable touching Tony, yes, but it's not because of a lack of trust. Bruce is in love with Tony. It's so damn obvious now.

Steve wants to tell him he doesn't have to be so careful, like he's afraid to take too much. He has seen the way Tony always turns to Bruce first when he wants to tell a joke, how he insists on being the one making sure Bruce is okay and well-fed after missions, how they work together in a way many people have said Tony Stark isn't capable of. There's been a significant decrease in alcohol consumption in the Tower since Bruce moved in and he is the only member on the team Tony ever hands stuff to. Steve has walked in on them in the middle of the night before, giggling over the most ridiculous things in the kitchen or one telling the other they're okay while the other catches his breath. He wants to tell him Tony loves him back.

Instead he un-pauses the movie and tries not to glance at them too often. Bruce isn't watching the movie anymore, his brow furrowed even as his hands continue to soothe Tony. He leans back a little when Tony wakes up, but tightens his grip on him when Tony panics. 'I'm sorry,' he says.

'What's that noise? Did I fall asleep on a mission?'

'We're watching Lord of the Rings.' Their voices are barely audible above the sounds of the battle on screen.

'Oh,' Tony says. 'You offered me superior cuddles.' To emphasise he remembers this, he curls up tighter, his forehead pressed against Bruce's neck. 'When does that offer expire?'

Bruce shrugs, making the movement small so as not to disturb Tony. 'It won't.'

Tony's hand fists in Bruce's shirt. 'Really?', he asks softly, intense like he isn't half asleep still.

'Yes,' Bruce says. 'I swear it on the most erotic Star Trek episode.'

Tony snorts against Bruce's chest, but Steve isn't in on the joke. 'Dork,' he says.

'Not as dorky as the one who came up with it, though.'

Tony giggles, this time. 'I'm offended,' he mumbles.

'Go back to sleep,' Bruce says, gently.

'No, wait!' Tony sounds urgent now, and Steve glances at them again. Tony is pushing himself up from Bruce's chest. He isn't letting go, but from the way Bruce's face goes completely neutral, Bruce seems to think he is. Tony is still only half awake, so Bruce moves with him to support him, which is how they end up in a slightly different position that brings their faces to the same level. Bruce looks like he wants to say something, but Tony grabs his shoulders and kisses him. He's asleep with his head on Bruce's shoulder before Bruce can even worry about it, so he smiles instead.

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Screen by Twenty One Pilots
> 
> Also it'd be cool if you sent me prompts at sleeplesslyembracing.tumblr.com!


End file.
